rtk-evaluate

name	rtk-evaluate
description	Evaluate an RTK version upgrade for safety and compatibility before updating

RTK Version Evaluation

Use this skill when upgrading RTK to a new version. It guides you through verifying that the new version is safe and doesn't introduce regressions in compression behavior.

Steps

1. Check Current Version

rtk --version

Note the current version for comparison.

2. Review Changelog

Fetch the RTK changelog/releases for the target version:

gh release view <version> --repo rtk-ai/rtk

Or check https://github.com/rtk-ai/rtk/releases for the target version.

Flag any of these changes:

• New network calls or telemetry
• Changes to the hook rewrite logic
• New file system access patterns
• New dependencies
• Changes to the rtk rewrite exit code protocol

3. Run Audit Baseline

Run the audit task to capture current behavior before upgrading:

mise run rtk:audit --save-baseline

4. Upgrade RTK

Update the version in the Brewfile and install:

brew upgrade rtk

5. Run Post-Upgrade Audit

mise run rtk:audit

Review the diff output. Look for:

• Commands that were previously passed through but are now compressed
• Commands where compression is significantly more aggressive
• Any commands that produce empty or misleading output
• Changes in compression ratios (>10% change warrants investigation)

6. Security Check

Verify no new concerning behavior:

# Check for network calls
rtk --help | grep -i telemetry
# Check config for new options
rtk config show 2>/dev/null || true

7. Decision

If everything looks good:

1. Update the Brewfile version pin
2. Save the new baseline: mise run rtk:audit --save-baseline
3. Commit the changes

If concerning changes found:

1. Roll back: brew install rtk@<previous-version> or reinstall from Brewfile
2. File an issue or wait for a fix
3. Document concerns in the commit message if proceeding anyway